PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College men's lacrosse team won its third-consecutive game of the season with an 8-6 victory over Vermont on Feb. 25 at Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium in Providence, R.I. The Friar defense has been stout all season, holding each of its four opponents to single-digit goals, for an average of just 6.0 goals per game. Offensively, the Friars were led by Brendan Kearns (Wantagh, N.Y.) and Nick Hatzipetrakos (Syosset, N.Y.). Both players recorded hat tricks on the afternoon en route to the 8-6 victory. Vermont took an early 1-0 lead just one minute into the action as Ben French converted a feed from Rob Hudson. Providence's Joseph McHale (Bernardsville, N.J.) scored the equalizer at the 11:47 mark, assisted by Damon Currie (Guelph, Ontario) to knot the score, 1-1. The Catamounts finished the first quarter with back-to-back goals by French and Jack Knight to take a 3-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Friars' got a lift, offensively, from Kearns as he opened the second quarter with three-consecutive goals at 11:28, 9:34 and 5:50. McHale was credited with the assist on Kearns' first tally, while Tim Hinrichs (Amherst, N.H.) earned the assist on the second goal. Kearns' third goal was unassisted and marked his fourth-straight hat trick to open the season. Hatzipetrakos kept the momentum going for the Friars in the third quarter with a pair of goals at 5:44 and 1:17 to give his squad a 6-3 advantage. Austin Yezarski (Miller Place, N.Y.) and Conner Byrne (Hicksville, N.Y.) each earned their first assists of the season. Vermont halted the Friars' run with a late goal in the third with 44 seconds remaining on the clock. Cam Milligan was credited with the goal off a feed from Matt Gudas. The two teams were scoreless for much of the fourth quarter until Hatzipetrakos completed the hat trick with 3:54 left in the game, unassisted. Milligan answered for Vermont one minute later (2:54) to make it a 7-5 game, as he converted his second tally of the game off a feed from Gudas. The Friars responded with a goal from Ryan Nawrocki (Smithtown, N.Y.) to take an 8-5 advantage with 1:21 left in regulation, as Ryan Schaeffer (Plano, Texas) collected his first assist of the year. Vermont would not go quietly, as Gudas found the back of the net with 53-seconds remaining off a feed from Milligan to make the final score 8-6. Providence goaltender Tate Boyce (Matthews, N.C.) was solid between the pipes as he collected eight saves on the day. The Friars won the ground ball game, 25-23, and also performed well in man-down situations, holding Vermont's EMO group scoreless in the game (0-6). "I am so proud of our team's effort today," Head Coach Chris Gabrielli said. "We found energy after coming out flat, guided by our leadership in the ground ball department. Conner Byrne and Austin Yezarski stood out with their toughness on ground balls!" Providence returns to action on March 4 against Sacred Heart University at 1:00 p.m. The game will be played at "The Chap" in Providence